Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 18, 2026

Systematic Approach to Identify Novel Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Molecules from Plants' Extracts and Fractions to Prevent Dental Caries
Published on: March 31, 2021
Synthesis of Isochromans From Anacardic Acids Obtained From Cashew Nutshell Liquid (CNSL) and Their Antimicrobial
Bianca L Davids1, Tianqi Lu1, Kennedy J Ngwira1
1Molecular Sciences Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Abstract:
The synthesis of racemic isochromans from cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) derived anacardic acids is described. Two key steps for the synthesis of the isochromans were utilized. (i) The benzylic bromination of methyl 2-methoxy-6-pentadecylbenzoate was accomplished with N-bromosuccinimide in the green solvent tert-butyl acetate to afford methyl 2-methoxy-6-(pentadec-1-en-1-yl)benzoate. (ii) Exposure of the secondary alcohol 1-(2-methoxy-6-(pentadec-1-en-1-yl)phenyl)ethanol to potassium tert-butoxide resulted in the formation of the isochroman, trans-8-methoxy-1-methyl-2-tridecylisochroman. In a similar manner, the related isochroman, trans-8-methoxy-1,3-dimethylisochroman, could be synthesized. Selected antifungal and antibacterial testing showed moderate activities.
Related Concept Videos
Antimicrobial Effectiveness
Preparation of Acid Anhydrides
The carboxylate ion acts as a nucleophile that attacks the carbonyl carbon of the acid chloride to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Subsequently, the re-formation of the carbonyl group with the loss of the chloride ion as a leaving group leads to the formation of an acid...
Chemical Agents for Microbial Control

